Andrew Boston hopeful of being drafted

QUEENSLAND'S top prospect, Andrew Boston, looks certain to be heading to Melbourne to start his AFL career.

And the dedicated 18-year-old from Broadbeach will welcome the opportunity.

Barring a major shock, Boston will be picked up in tonight's National Draft on the Gold Coast, possibly somewhere in the second or third rounds.

Richmond, which holds selections 32, 34, and 43, is the frontrunner for his services.

Boston, 182cm, and 75kg, said yesterday he was "pretty nervous", but, "still pretty confident it is going to happen ... it's just a matter of when."

"There's been a few clubs contacting my manager (Tim Batty, of Velocity Sports), just saying they're interested and stuff like that.

"I don't really have a preference, but I wouldn't mind going to a Melbourne club, the atmosphere down there is awesome."

The son of former Broadbeach Cats coach Neil Boston, Andrew said "all I ever wanted to do was play AFL", and he this year made sure he was going to give himself the best possible chance.

Putting work on the backburner, Boston has trained six days a week.

"At the start of the year dad and I had a talk and we decided if we wanted to have a really good crack at it we'd take this year off, train like you're at an AFL club so when you get there nothing's changed," he explained.

It looks like it will pay dividends.

While putting in a number of eye-catching displays for Broadbeach in the NEAFL, he was also named in the All-Australian under-18 line-up after a sensational national under-18 carnival in July.

But, Boston was not about to rest on his laurels and worked closely with former Brisbane Bears and now Broadbeach Cats fitness advisor Gary Fox.

While an immensely skilful half-forward who can run through the midfield, Boston's endurance needed work, Fox said.

"That was the deficiency that we recognised early on," Fox said.

"We planned that after his Queensland commitments finished we would work pretty hard on his fitness between then and the draft combine (in October)."

Aware he would need to run a decent 3km to further impress club recruiters, Fox said "we had to make sure he knew how to pace himself, run a bit more intelligently".

One of five Queenslanders invited to attend the combine at Melbourne's Etihad Stadium - along with Jordon Bourke (Morningside), Aliir Aliir (Aspley), Brian Coleman-Broome (Morningside) and Clay Cameron (Mt Gravatt) - Boston would record a mid-field time of 11min 11sec for the 3km.

It was his kicking ability though that would shine, and ultimately make him all but a shoo-in to be drafted.

Boston went down in history as the first to register a perfect score in the newly introduced goalkicking test, which includes having five shots at different angles and distances.

"I've always loved kicking goals," he said.

Boston plans to head down to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre tonight "to have a look" at draft proceedings, "and hopefully hear my name read out".

The GWS Giants have the first three picks, and will take Victorian Lachie Whitfield at No.1.

Fellow Queenslander Clay Cameron has already been chosen by the Gold Coast Suns at 60 as a Queensland Zone selection, while Jordon Bourke is also a very strong chance to be picked.